Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §7412, as amended by PL 2001, c. 429, Pt. T, §§6 and 7, is further amended to read:

§7412. Maine Educational Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Student Trust Fund established

1. Fund established. Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 5, section 135-A, the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Trust Fund, referred to in this section as "the "fund," is established.

2. Investment of funds. The money in the fund may be invested by the Treasurer of State with the assistance of one or more fiduciaries or registered investment advisors. The duties and expenses of the fiduciaries or registered investment advisors must be handled in a manner consistent with Title 5, section 17108, subsections 2 and 3. All earnings must be credited to the fund.

3. Nonlapsing fund; transfer to General Fund. Until July 1, 2007, any unexpended funds remaining in the fund may not lapse but must be carried forward for the benefit of the fund. On July 1, 2007, any unexpended funds remaining in the fund must be transferred to the General Fund.

Sec. 8. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Governor Baxter School for the Deaf" appear or reference is made to the entity or those words, those words are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing," and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes.

SUMMARY

This bill changes the name of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf to the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing but retains the old name for the center school on Mackworth Island. The name change is intended to better reflect the range of services provided to the deaf and hard-of-hearing pursuant to state law.